TRAGEDY STRIKES THE TOWN
Society held December 2, 1844, they were progressive enough to vote to purchase a stove for burning coal, but evidently this was not a popular vote, for later the subject was brought up again, the vote to buy a coal stove was rescinded, and they proceeded to auction off the furnishing of the year's supply of wood to the lowest bidder. This had to be good quality hickory wood, seasoned, cut, and split ready for the two stoves. It was bid off for seven dollars per cord. The first cabinet organ was purchased in the Fall of 1863. After the service held on Sunday, January 17, 1864, the church was closed, to begin extensive alterations. The old high pulpit was removed and the seating arrangement changed; the entire cost of the alterations was $3650. The opening service of rededication was held June 9, 1864.
The oldest society maintained by the women of the Church was the Orange Auxiliary of the New Haven Branch of the Woman's Board for Foreign Missions, organized May 4, 1877. Other organizations were the Auxiliary of the Woman's Home Missionary Union of Connecticut. The Ladies Benevolent Society was organized December 12, 1883.
The year 1886 was an eventful year for the Church, for during that year a new pipe organ was purchased, and a new furnace was installed, doing away with the two stoves with their long pipes extending the length of the church on each side aisle.
One of the causes of annoyance at church services, particularly in summer when the doors and windows were open, was the geese. Probably every family living near the church and Green kept a flock. The separate flocks used the Green for a common rendezvous, and when they met, there was apt to be a great squawking and cackling, sometimes drowning out the preacher's words. Not even the tithingman's staff could exercise any authority in that case.
Between the morning and afternoon services there was quite a long interval, during which the people had
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